North Caucasus Food Tour

Today we have ambitious plans — we are having breakfast at the hotel and going to explore the picturesque corners of North Ossetia.

North Ossetia is a land of ancient towers and castles on cliffs, majestic mountains and sparkling waterfalls. The local views do not leave you indifferent and touch you to the depths of your soul.

For centuries, people in this unique corner have maintained deep respect for their traditions and greeted every guest with warmth and cordiality, like a loved one.

We will go to the harsh and fascinating Karmadon gorge, and then to the mysterious Dargava necropolis — the "city of the dead" to touch the secrets of the past. Let's climb the "swing over the abyss" and enjoy the breathtaking panorama.

Then we will visit the Alan highland monastery in the colorful valley of the Sun, which from a distance resembles the medieval castles of Europe, and walk along the "ladder of absolution".

It's lunch time! They will be waiting for us at the restaurant, which is located in an incredibly beautiful place with a wonderful view of the mountain peaks of Fiagdon.

We will be served a light and silky cream lentil soup and an Ossetian Walibakh pie with homemade cheese. Many agree that the dish with this filling has an unforgettable taste.

It is quite difficult to cook Ualibakh at home — without real Ossetian cheese, it loses its authenticity.

Then we will have grilled trout from the spring waters of the North Caucasus with pomegranate sauce and grilled vegetables.

After lunch— drive to the Kurta and Tag towers. These ancient walls tower over three gorges, and the views from here are some of the best on the tour. The most beautiful photos are provided!

We will also take a look at Kadargavan Canyon, a natural landmark with an unusual landscape.

We return to the city and go to a cheese-making master class — we will find out how real Ossetian cheese is born.

Everyone will cook the cheese themselves and take it with them along with a recipe that can be repeated at home.

After the master class, we will have dinner in a cozy ethno-restaurant with elements of traditional Ossetian life. The guests note that the interior of the establishment looks like they came to a real mountain family.

Today, our main dish will be colorful meter-high kebabs. Their impressive size and mouth-watering aroma immediately set the mood for a meal.

Juicy meat soaked in spicy spices is ideally complemented by a glass of dry red wine: its tart notes emphasize the rich taste of the dish and create a harmonious flavor combination.

For an appetizer, we will try a variety of Caucasian meze: eggplant rolls, tender hummus, fresh mountain salad and Ossetian pie nasdzhyn with pumpkin.

Let's also try araka, a traditional strong drink that is compared to Scotch whiskey. Some varieties of the latter are generally difficult to distinguish from refined double-distilled arak.

Let's finish the dinner with a dessert — pumpkin baked with mascarpone cheese.

After dinner, we return to our comfortable hotel, relax and look forward to a new journey!

Today we have breakfast at our hotel and go to the family winery.

In the professional piggy bank of its founder there are numerous awards received at prestigious competitions. His breweries and red wines are rightfully included in the authoritative list of "The Best wines of Russia".

The winery produces 65,000 bottles of still wine and 3,000 bottles of sparkling wine per year. The production of sparkling wine is advised by the oenologist of the Champagne Institute of Oenology, Aurora Gedi.

The winery employs two artists who decorate each bottle by hand.

We will visit the production hall and wine cellars, where we will get acquainted with the subtleties of the wine-making process and the atmosphere of storing noble drinks.

At the end, there will be a tasting of seven samples of quiet and sparkling wines with appetizers that will emphasize their bouquet and help reveal the taste nuances.

After the winery, we will go to Ingushetia to visit the ancient complex of Egikal battle towers. For many Russians, Ingushetia remains a completely unknown republic. Surprisingly, some people don't even know where it is located.

Those who are lucky enough to visit Ingushetia will certainly be deeply impressed: the majestic mountains and medieval towers, as if born of this landscape, create a unique picture.

The Egikal is an ancient battle tower that has survived to the present day. People lived in this settlement until the middle of the 20th century, and in difficult times, civilians found shelter here.

After an eventful walk, we will stop for lunch at a cozy mountain restaurant with stunning views of the Caucasus Mountain Range.

In this atmosphere of natural beauty and tranquility, every dish will be especially delicious, and lunch will turn into an unforgettable experience.

We will be served dishes of traditional Vainakh cuisine. The name "Vainakh" unites Chechens and Ingush, who are proud of their culture and culinary traditions, considering Vainakh cuisine to be the most delicious.

We will try chapilg (flatbread with cottage cheese), shorpa (soup) and juicy manti.

After lunch in the mountains, we will go further — the Chechen Republic awaits us! The journey will take a little over two hours, and we will have the opportunity to relax and enjoy the magnificent scenery.

Welcome to one of the most beautiful cities in the Caucasus — Grozny! Built almost from scratch in the 2000s, today it is in no way inferior to the cities of the Arab world and the East.

We check into the largest five-star hotel in the North Caucasus, located in the city center, in the most picturesque part of it. Next to the hotel is the famous "Heart of Chechnya" mosque, which surprisingly resembles the Sultan Ahmed Mosque in Istanbul.

After checking into the hotel and having a short rest, we will go on an exciting walk through the city center with a local guide. We will see the main mosque, the Memorial Complex of Glory and the building of the national Museum, immersing ourselves in the atmosphere of the history and culture of Grozny.

Of course, we will climb to the observation deck of one of the skyscrapers of Grozny City to see the city from a bird's-eye view.

After that, we will have dinner at one of the best restaurants in Grozny. This establishment combines an oriental atmosphere, European polish and the preservation of Caucasian traditions.

We are tasting the main dish of the evening and of the entire Chechen Republic — zhizhig galnash: coarsely chopped boiled meat with dumplings of wheat or corn flour, served with a fragrant garlic sauce.

For dessert — the famous sweet pancakes with butter and pumpkin. A very popular and delicious Chechen dessert.

After a bright and hearty dinner, we return to the hotel.

Today we are enjoying breakfast at our hotel and going to get acquainted with the main sights of the Chechen Republic!

We will see grandiose mosques, visit an ancient settlement and visit the real pearl of the Caucasus – the incredible lake Kezenoy-Am. Its azure waters surrounded by mountain peaks create a truly mesmerizing landscape.

Our path will pass through a picturesque mountain serpentine, where every turn opens up new fantastic views. We will certainly make several stops to enjoy the mountain panoramas and take vivid photos for memory.

First, we will visit the ancient highland village of Khoi. Here we will have a walk through the open—air ethnographic museum, a reconstruction of a traditional mountain village.

Every element, from ancient towers to domestic buildings, has been carefully reproduced to immerse visitors in an authentic atmosphere.

After an exciting walk, we will have a delightful picnic in cozy gazebos on the shore of the lake, which is located at an altitude of 1869 meters above sea level.

We enjoy the fragrant kebabs, carefully prepared for us, and breathe in the purest mountain air.

In nature, every piece of the dish becomes a special pleasure — the atmosphere of unity with nature seems to enhance all tastes and make the meal truly unforgettable.

After lunch, we will visit the city of Shali, the third most populous city in the republic. The largest mosque in Europe, the Pride of Muslims, is located here, which impresses with its beauty both inside and out.

The mosque is so large that it can accommodate 30,000 people, and the surrounding area can accommodate up to 70,000 visitors. This incredible snow-white marble structure can be safely attributed to architectural objects that are definitely worth seeing in person.

We continue on our way — we will get acquainted with Argun, the fourth most populous city in the republic.

The hallmark of this place is the Mother's Heart Mosque, the first in Russia, made in an ultra-modern high-tech style.

Named after Akhmat Kadyrov's mother, it impresses with its size and can accommodate up to 15,000 people. We will definitely take a look inside to admire the magnificent crescent-shaped chandelier, 30 meters in diameter and weighing almost 5 tons.

After a busy day, we return to the city, relax a little at the hotel and gather for dinner.

Our final evening will take place in a panoramic restaurant located on the 32nd floor with a stunning view of the night of Grozny.

For an appetizer, we will be served bruschetta with spicy meat, baked tomatoes and tender strachatella cheese, as well as a Caucasian pie with meat and juicy vegetables.

The main course of the evening is a stewed lamb shank with velvety sweet potato puree and an exquisite demiglas sauce.

We will finish the dinner with a signature interpretation of Anna Pavlova's airy dessert with fresh berries. This elegant dish will be a worthy end to our gastronomic evening.

After dinner, we return to the hotel to relax and prepare for the final day of our tour.

Today is the final day of our amazing journey. After breakfast at the hotel, we will go to the main market of Grozny — Berkat.

Berkat market is called the "soul" of Grozny. This is a real oriental bazaar in the very center of the city.

They sell pickles, galnash and siskal, dried meat and horse sausage, traditional Chechen halva deman-khovlah, mountain cheeses and much more.

This brings our journey to an end — we will escort you to the airport in Grozny. Happy, rested, full of new impressions and memories.